Breese Central vs.
Metro-East Lutheran
Pana vs. Marquette Catholic

When you look at the Nashville Class 2A Sectional one team is an overwhelming favorite.

Breese Central is not only state ranked but also the preseason and top rated team every week of the ABV West Frankfort Supersectional Area rankings for 2009-10.

At 27-3 the Cougars have beaten every 2A and 1A team that they have faced this season with their losses coming to 3A Effingham in the title game of the Effingham St. Anthony Thanksgiving Tournament; a 58-51 shootout loss to Florissant (MO.) McCluer and a buzzer-beating 40-38 loss to rival Breese Mater Dei – another 3A school.

The wins were also impressive – downing Nashville three times including a 24-20 “cat and mouse” affair on Friday night to capture their own regional title.

Two players have been standouts in their 1,000-point careers – David Wiegmann and Garrett Gaffner.

Both are senior swingmen that have carried the Cougars’ flag this season

The 6-foot-7 forward Wiegmann is averaging 18.5 points a game going into sectional play with 5.1 rebounds.

Gaffner – listed at 6-foot-5 and a forward – adds 12.8 p.p.g. to the scoring for Central and tops the club with nearly eight rebounds a contest. He is also second on the team in assists with 3.3 per outing.

Brandon Book is a 6-foot-6 sophomore forward who adds 12 points to the scoring for Coach Stan Eagleson’s club.

Keaton Scheer – a 6-foot-5 junior – is a backcourt specialist who tops Breese Central in ball distribution by dishing out five assists a night.

Six-foot-two junior Blake Norrenberns; 6-foot-1 junior Brandon Rakers and 5-foot-10 sophomore Nick Grapperhaus have all played significant roles in the successful run by Breese Central in 2009-10.

“Metro-East Lutheran has the athletes and skill level to challenge us and they have also played the schedule that is closest in strength to ours of the 4 teams in the sectional,” said Coach Eagleson – who joined the 500-win club during the season. “I don’t know much about Pana and Marquette yet.”

Speaking of the Knights from the Edwardsville area – Metro-East Lutheran enters the sectional on the strength of a 60-46 regional title game win over the host Oilers at the East Alton-Wood River Regional.

Coach Chad Ambuehl’s club is 25-7 on the season but has been in with some very good teams this season as this program has strengthened its already tough Independent schedule to build toward postseason success.

Topping the scoring list for the Knights is Bob Schnietz – a 6-foot-3 lefty – is one of the top point producers in the St. Louis Metro Area with 22.5 points per game. He also leads the Knights with 8.1 rebounds.

Spencer Morris and Dan Niemeier are the next best scorers for Coach Ambuehl – both hitting around eight points per game.

Along the road – the Knights have played some good teams – losing to several but playing tough.

Narrow loses to Breese Mater Dei, Madison and Pinckneyville and a big win at home over Du Quoin are part of the highlight package.

They didn’t fair too well against Breese Central at the Mater Dei Tournament – a 69-45 loss back in December.

Metro-East Lutheran captured their own Thanksgiving Tournament back in November and also won the Litchfield Invitational Tournament title – beating Pana 68-59 in the finale.

The Pana Panthers are 23-7 for Coach Gary Bowker – the most recent game was a 48-45 win over host Vandalia to win the Vandals’ Class 2A Regional Championship on Friday night.

Six-foot-two senior Derek Ade averages 15.5 points a game for the Panthers on the season – with nine times over 20-points this season.

Six-foot-three senior Jake Adcock (6.8 p.p.g.) and 6-foot-2 sophomore Jared McMillen (7.9 p.p.g.) have played important roles in the Pana postseason run.

“We are playing pretty good ball right now,” said Coach Bowker – who has led two different Pana teams to Peoria finishing second in 2001. “We had a lull there about three weeks ago but the kids have really come together and are having fun. Marquette is a scary team for us even though we have beaten them twice. I’m looking forward to the sectional. Good teams, great coaches and I know it will be a fun atmosphere.”

Marquette Catholic from Alton (16-16) won the Piasa Southwestern Regional on Friday night with a 59-53 win over Staunton.

Coach Brian Diskin has some youngsters that are playing well for the Explorers who are a member of the South Central Conference.

Six-foot-four sophomore Derek Starrett leads the club with 14.4 points a game while 6-foot sophomore Tyler Moore is averaging 11 points a night.

The Explorers have a freshman guard named Sam Scheiter who is gathering some attention. He averages 9.6 p.p.g. from Marquette.

Harrisburg vs. Murphysboro
Du Quoin vs. Pinckneyville

Not unlike the Nashville Sectional – there is a favorite here if you look at the complete body of work.

The Murphysboro Red Devils have lived up to the billing as one of the threats to get to Peoria.

Head coach Daryl Murphy has his club flying high after a gritty 60-52 win over always difficult Massac County to win the Carterville Class 2A Regional crown on Friday night.

The Red Devils enter the sectional at 27-2 with just a pair of tough loses to Carbondale and Madison – two teams they also defeated during the regular season.

They ran the table (10-0) in the SIRR Ohio Division and won a pair of tournaments (their own Thanksgiving Event and the Columbia-Freeburg Holiday Tournament) during this very good season.

Other wins of note include and overtime win over Pinckneyville and a pair of victories over Harrisburg – both of whom are in this sectional.

A pair of 3A teams – Waterloo and Triad – have also fallen victim to the Red Devils wrath.

Four Red Devils have gotten the job done on the offensive end while they have all had a hand defensively.

Dre Shean Payne – a 6-foot-1 senior guard – tops the charts with 16.3 p.p.g. while teammates Dylan Craig – 6-foot-3 junior guard – adds 11.4 points per night to the totals.

Six-foot-Jerrod Gaston averages exactly 11 points a game while Pierre House – a 6-foot-1 sophomore – averages 9.4 points a game.

Murphysboro doesn’t miss many shots – hitting nearly 60 percent for the season while clamping down on the opposition.

"As usual, the sectional is loaded with tradition-rich programs,” said Coach Murphy. “Any of the 4 teams has a chance to advance, it's going to come down to things like; loose balls, taking care of the ball, and of course...making shots!"

Harrisburg and head coach Randy Smithpeters have ever so quietly put together a solid season.

The Bulldogs won their own Thanksgiving Tournament, finished second to Class 1A powerhouse Meridian at the Eldorado Holiday Tournament and won all five games in taking home the Carmi-White County Invitational title back in January.

They have a pair of losses to state-ranked teams (Robinson and Murphysboro) but have won 13-of-15 games heading into the sectional.

Cain Sheldon – a 5-foot-11 senior leader – is averaging double-figures for the Bulldogs.

Five-foot-eleven senior guard Reid Roper is also a scoring threat as is 6-foot-7 senior center Lucas Elverd.

Sheldon had 23-points in Harrisburg’s 69-43 win over Carmi-White County to win its own regional on Friday night.

“Although an underdog, we look forward to playing in the excitement of a sectional tournament,” said Coach Smithpeters – who passed the 300-win mark this season and has won four sectional championships in his tenure at the school. “Murphysboro is a top team that is very physical, quick, and skilled. We will need an excellent game to have a chance."

Du Quoin is another one of the teams in southern Illinois that is proving to be hard to ignore.

The Indians (24-6) won the SIRR Mississippi Division title this season and will play the rubber game of its three games against Pinckneyville on Wednesday night after taking care of Benton 43-24 on Friday night to win its own regional.

Coach Mike Crews has a 1,000-point scorer in senior Matt Gossett - a 6-foot-4 senior forward.

The Indians have had many contributors this season including Marcus Clarry – a 6-foot senior guard; 5-foot-11 junior J.C. Davis and Cody Rose and David Rose (no relation) who are both 6-foot-1 senior guards.

Du Quoin won the Sparta Mid-Winter Classic and finished second at the Pinckneyville “Duster Thomas” Holiday Classic.

Pinckneyville (22-5) comes into the sectional as a team no one should overlook.

Head coach Bob Waggoner has his club playing well after knocking off Sparta 55-42 on Friday night to win the Chester Regional.

Drew Dudek – a 6-foot-1 senior guard – has played well this season and led the Panthers in the title game win with 20-points.

Nathan Morton - a 6-foot-3 forward – and 6-foot-3 forward Shay Kellerman are also starters for Coach Waggoner.

Landon Chandler – a 5-foot-10 senior guard – 6-foot-2 senior forward Jake Bathon also see a lot of PT as well as 6-foot-3 junior Taylor Pyatt.

Meridian vs. Trico
Sesser-Valier vs. Carrier Mills

State-ranked and ABV Class 1A Salem Super-Sectional top ranked Mounds Meridian (28-1) heads into the Eldorado Sectional as a favorite to make it to the Elite Eight.

Coach Jeff Mandrell’s club has just a single loss to South Egyptian Conference rival Goreville on the sheet that is the only blemish.

Winners of three tournaments – including the prestigious Eldorado Holiday Tournament title in December – Meridian heads back to Duff-Kingston Gym where they won four consecutive games including a 72-70 win over Harrisburg to capture the EHT crown.

Devante McClung – a 6-foot-3 senior guard – tops the Bobcats with 14.2 points a game. He scored 15 in Meridian’s 69-51 win over Goreville to win the Meridian Class 1A Regional title.

Five-foot-ten senior guard Edreco Amos averages 12.7 p.p.g. for the ‘Cats – who are one of the top Class 1A scoring teams in the state. Meridian averages 75.7 points a contest.

A pair of junior standouts lead Trico – winners of their own regional crown on Friday night.

Logan Thies – 6-foot-1 junior forward/guard – helped put away Okawville on Friday night by scoring 27-points in the Pioneers’ 48-30 win.

Jesse Smith – a 6-foot junior guard – is also capable of scoring a lot of points.

These two leaders will need to have good weeks if Trico is to advance to Salem.

The Sesser-Valier Red Devils – the ABV Preseason number one team in Class 1A for the Salem Super – have woken up after a mid-season slumber that produced a bevy of clunkers.

If you’re going to sleep through part of your season – January and early February is the best time.

Since a lopsided – un-motivated - loss to Woodlawn back on February 2 and a narrow loss to Waltonville on February 12 – the Devils have won six straight games in grandiose fashion.

Sesser-Valier (22-9) laid the wood to both Crab Orchard and Waltonville to win the Crab Orchard Class 1A Regional to reach the sectional.

This is the third consecutive regional crown for S-V and if they are going to final win a sectional contest – this team will have to continue to shoot the ball well as they have in the past week.

Justin Matyi is the team leader in both scoring and rebounding – nearly averaging a double-double.

He is right at 20 points and just a shade under 10 rebounds a game.

Matyi was unstoppable against Crab Orchard in the regional semifinals – hitting all 14 of his shots to finish with 31 in the 69-36 win.

Although he was in foul trouble against Waltonville – his teammates picked up the slack in an 83-60 win.

T.J. Eubanks – 6-foot-2 senior forward – and 6-foot-1 senior guard Dane Eubanks average nine and eight points respectively for head coach Chip Basso.

A six-foot-three senior forward - Kendall Gibson averages eight points a game and is the Devils’ defensive stopper.

Myles Tinsley – a 5-foot-11 point guard – adds five points a night for the Devils.

"I see this being a very hard fought sectional with the caliber of talent all four school have," said Sesser-Valier head coach Chip Basso. "Each school has recent sectional experience, making every game full of players and coaches who have been here before. Any of the four schools could be taking a sectional championship home."

Carrier Mills is probably the most unlikely team to reach this sectional.

With just a single starter back from last season’s sectional runner-up – head coach Mark Motsinger revamped his team and won yet another GEC title and are sitting at 26-4 heading into Wednesday’s game against Sesser-Valier.

Wyatt Kirkland – a 5-foot-11 senior shooting guard – averages in the 14-points per game range.

The Wildcats’ four losses have been to toughies – twice to Meridian and once each to Harrisburg and Massac County at the Eldorado Holiday Tournament.

Like Meridian – CM has spent a lot of time on the Duff-Kingston floor.

Six-foot-senior Chase Craig – 5-foot-11 Dillon Harrison and 6-foot-4 sophomore Gabe Morgan have all stepped up in the postseason.

Five-foot-eight senior point guard Jordan Miller is now back after serving a suspension from the school and should be ready to run the point for the CM offense.